Henderson council OKs keeping chief

Greg Harman

Wednesday, May 3, 2000 | 10:20 a.m.

The Henderson City Council unanimously approved Mike Mayberry as the new chief of police Tuesday night.

City Manager Phil Speight said he was pleased with Mayberry's demonstrated ability to handle complex tasks -- which included preparing the 2000 budget, girding for possible Y2K glitches and performing a 10-year assessment of the police force -- soon after taking on the job of acting chief last year.

"Mike did an excellent job performing his duties under those conditions," Speight said moments before the unanimous vote sealed his appointment.

"It's just going to be good for the department," said three-year officer R.J. Pena, observing from the back of the chambers. "He's a real people person."

Kevin Murphy, a training officer on the force, praised Mayberry's management style.

"He's a forward-looking supervisor," Murphy said. "It's not the micro-management we've seen in the past."

As chief, Mayberry said he hopes to help build a police force that is both "down to earth" and "approachable."

Mayberry's mother, Helen Mayberry, cried when her son pointed her out and recounted memories of his late father, a former highway patrolman.

"He told me, 'Someday I'm going to be chief of police' -- and by golly, he is!" Helen Mayberry gushed after the ceremony. "He's worked hard all his life."

News of the city's choice reached the upper offices of the FBI.

A letter from FBI Director Louis Freeh, read before the vote, congratulated Mayberry on his new position.

Mayberry said that he has never forgotten his reason for entering law enforcement was to help people.

In a brief speech he urged those present to never forget they live "in the greatest city, in the greatest state, in the greatest country in the world."